Wulff sees progress despite setbacks

Is there light at the end of the tunnel for the beleaguered Washington State football program?

“It depends on what the end of the tunnel is,” coach Paul Wulff said this week. “I just know we’re making progress. We’ve got great players, young players who are going to have bright futures, some veterans who have 100 percent bought in now — not a lot in numbers, but we have those.

“I’m very, very proud of their work ethic and what they’ve done in one year to change everything. The attitude is really good. …

“I think they all see a light at the end of the tunnel, and they all see and feel good about the direction we’re headed.”

And yet as the Cougars (1-3 overall, 0-2 in the Pac-10) come to Autzen Stadium to face the Ducks on Saturday evening, it will be as a team that’s just 3-14 in Wulff’s brief tenure. A team that will start its third quarterback of the season, 18-year-old true freshman Jeff Tuel, behind an offensive line that’s been revamped because of injuries.

A team that ranks last in the Pac-10 in scoring offense, scoring defense, total defense, rushing offense, pass defense, passing efficiency and passing efficiency defense.

It’s not just that the Cougars will be 31-point underdogs against the Ducks, but that there’s nothing to suggest they’ll find a win anywhere else this season. Click here for the complete story.